Songbird

Bewick's wren

Thryomanes bewickii

A long-tailed, white-browed wren of hedgerows, blackberry tangles and brushy yards in the Whatcom and Skagit lowlands, present and singing year round.

Seasonality

Peaks in April. Resident all year; most vocal and easiest to find from late winter through spring.

Behavior

Forages low in thickets and brush piles, flicking its long tail side to side.
Males sing from exposed perches on fence posts and shrub tops, even in winter.
Holds the same territory all year, so a singing bird is usually back in the same spot the next day.

Photography tips

Listen for the song, find the bird's favourite singing perch, and wait there; it will often return within a few minutes.
Shoot at eye level from a crouch to get the brush behind the bird soft and out of focus.

Field ethics

Stay out of hedgerows and brush piles; they're nest and roost sites.

Where to look

Lummi Flats & Red River RoadWhatcom County · Peaks in April